July 5, 2019

Behind The Scenes: Talking About Hip Openers With Yoga Instructor Kinga Gorski

Who else has tight hips?

If you spend a lot of time sitting (in front of a computer, for example), chances are good you have tight hips. But athletes can have tight hips too. If you’re not sure, try sitting cross-legged or with both feet together in butterfly position. Notice how much strain you feel, or if you’re able to open them up without resistance.

While interviewing yoga & fitness instructor Kinga Gorski, she and I ended up chatting about just how tight my hips were, and what I could do about it. It was such great info that I wanted to record it! Obviously to help me remember, but also to share with all of you.

In the BTS clip below she discusses three main yoga poses you can do to open your hips.

The first is the Burmese position, which involves sitting cross-legged, but instead of placing your ankles one over the other, you tuck one foot to your inner thigh, and the other one into the other groove of your ankle. Why this style instead of just crossing your legs regularly? Because I was complaining about having bony ankles that always feel pain and pressure when I sit cross-legged (I’m weird, my bones stick out a lot – I’m not super skinny, it’s not that, I just have big sticky-outy bones…apparently it happens when you do a lot of figure skating…or is that just a wives’ tail? Anyway, I digress…).

This position is great for working on opening your hips, but it can be pretty intense, especially because, as Kinga says, you need to use your core and lengthen your spine.

So another pose you can do is a low lunge. Once you get comfortable there, you can move your front foot out to the side (by stepping heel, toe, heel, toe) to come into Lizard pose, and try going onto your elbows if you’re flexible enough. Another variation involves opening up your foot so you’re on the knife edge of it (and of course opening your knee with it – keep the ankle in line with the knee to avoid injury). This will work your inner thigh and hip even more.

Lastly, there’s Happy Baby pose. This is when you lie on your back and grab your feet with both hands. You then draw your knees down toward your shoulders, press your lower back into the ground and relax your shoulders.

This pose is a favourite of Kinga’s. Obviously it’s one I’ll be passing on for now since I’m pregnant, but otherwise I love it too!

Watch the video to see her demonstrate all three poses. Thanks for the info, Kinga! To learn more from Kinga visit her site at kingagorski.com or follow her on Instagram at @kingagorski.